Conspiring Fate
by black201
Summary: Several months after the Orichalcos ordeal, Joey and Mai find each othe but an old enemy comes back…to pester Mai once again. Not very serious and slightly cheesy.


Conspiring Fate

Joey Wheeler was depressed as usual. He felt bored and unexcited now that Dartz was defeated. Life was oddly dull without crazed mad mans with freaky hair threatening the world. Of course, that wasn't the only thing gone that Joey missed.

"Mai, where are you?" Joey asked into the sky as he walked down another street of Domino City. "I…miss you…a lot…" It seemed to Joey that he wouldn't see Mai for a long time and, although he wouldn't admit it, not even to himself, that hurt more than anything. If only he could find her…

Who was he kidding? He didn't even know what country Mai was in. What chance did he have of finding her?

"NO!" a voice screamed, causing Joey to jump.

"Was that…Mai?" Joey asked himself. If it was, then he knew that her scream meant she was in trouble. "I'm coming Mai!"

XXXXXXXXXX

Mai Valentine felt empty, emptier than she thought she would ever get. She looked around and saw two kids dueling in Domino Park and smiled. Both of them were inexperienced compared to others, but they still kept dueling. They seemed…just like Joey. Her heart ached just by thinking about him. Ever since their duel, Mai couldn't seem to walk three steps without breaking down and crying. She didn't even know why she came to Domino but she did and every moment, here and anywhere else was painful.

The pain wasn't only when she was awake. Every night, she would have the same horrible nightmare…

_Mai found herself in a large, empty space in a familiar city. The fence, the desolate feeling in the air, all of it was painfully familiar. It was empty at first but then, a large green circle appeared on the floor. The Seal of Orichalcos._

_"No…" Mai whispered in horror as she backed away. Mai looked up to see herself, her Harpie Ladies facing…Joey, battered and bruised, within the green seal. It appeared that they were in a duel…the same duel that haunted Mai every waking moment. This time, the Mai within the Orichalcos ordered her Harpies to attack with no hesitation._

_"Destroy him my Harpies!" Mai ordered. The monsters began attacking Joey, who continuously screamed in pain from the onslaught. The Harpies attacked again and again, the sight of the battle bringing the Mai outside the Orichalcos to tears._

_"Mai," Joey whispered as he fell onto the glowing floor. Mai looked up to see Joey, looking at her, the other Mai and her Harpie Ladies gone. The seal began to encircle him, the life in his eyes disappearing. "Mai, don't cry…"_

_"Joey, please don't leave me! I need you!" Mai said as she approached him._

_"Too late…take care of yourself," Joey said before the Orichalcos disappeared, as well as Joey. Mai fell on her knees and broke down again. Mai looked up after several seconds to see that she was back in the hourglass Marik had trapped her in. She saw Marik standing there before her, looking at her sadistically._

_"Now he's gone forever my dear, and it's all your fault!" Marik said with a disturbed grin._

_"No!" Mai screamed in denial as more tears began flowing. Then, Marik turned into Dartz, who smiled evilly._

_"You sacrificed him for your own goals, how selfish!" Dartz said darkly._

_"NO!" Mai screamed louder, trying to block everything out. Dartz then changed into Valon, who looked at her sadly._

_"You screwed up with him so many times and now you'll never have him!" Valon said angrily as he turned his back on her._

_"NO MORE!" Mai screamed but the horror didn't stop there. Marik, Dartz and Valon looked at her in their own ways._

_"Your fault," Marik repeated._

_"How selfish," Dartz said over and over again._

_"Screwed up," Valon repeated._

_"PLEASE STOOOOOOOOP!" Mai screamed. Suddenly, the voices stopped and Mai looked up, only to see herself and the Harpie Lady Sisters, each of their foreheads glowing with the Seal of Orichalcos._

_"What's the matter hon'?" Mai asked Mai as all four of them stared down at the heart broken Mai. "You gonna cry without Joey here? That's your fault." Mai then began laughing horribly and Mai would only keep crying._

Mai shuddered as she remembered that horrible dream and wished she could be near Joey again, but she could never face him again.

"Hello my dear Mai!" an obnoxious man said before she bumped into a muscular body. She took a few steps back to see Jean Claude Magnum, holding out a bouquet of red roses. "I've come for a rematch!"

"Not you again," Mai said, annoyed that he had found her and in the same city to boot. "Didn't you learn your lesson last time that you can't beat me creep?"

"Oh, Mai, you are as fierce and beautiful as ever! It would be an honor to duel you!"

"I'll show you fierce!" Mai said, determined to put the egotistical movie star down once and for all. "And if you think I'm going to duel you then you have another thing coming!"

"Now calm down Mai, don't make me do anything!" Jean said warningly. Mai didn't listen and only walked closer.

"Hey, what the…hey! HEY! NO!" Mai screamed as two ninjas (appearing out of nowhere) wrapped a rope around her arms and pinned her down. "Leave me alone!"

"If you won't duel me, you leave me with only this option," Jean said lovingly.

"Joey…" Mai whispered to herself as the ninjas started to take her away. "Help…"

"Ey!" Joey yelled as he knocked away the two ninjas with his fists, causing the rope to loose. "Leave Mai alone you creeps!" Joey ordered as he stood protectively in front of Mai.

"Oh come on, you think that you can handle two highly trained ninjas!" Jean said laughingly. "Mai will be mine, you can't have her!"

"Hey!" Mai said, insulted.

"Okay boys, take blondie down!" Jean ordered his two men. Joey raised his fists and got ready to fight.

XXXXXXXXXX

Several minutes later, the two ninjas were on the floor, in a daze.

"Those were some 2 bit ninjas!" Joey said proudly as he dusted off his shoulders. "I bet the only reason they took down Mai was because they sneaked up on her!"

"Joey…" Mai said, flustered that Joey would make such a kind comment.

"Err…" Jean grumbled as he backed away from the two blondes. Quickly regaining his composure, he confidently said, "No matter, I have many more ninjas to help me in my quest for Mai's love!"

Joey and Mai could only be disgusted by the remark.

"No way!" Joey exclaimed, surprising Mai and Jean. "I'm not gonna let anymore of your lousy ninjas.

"Hey, I never wanted to use my ninjas, I just wanted to beat Mai in a duel. She did say that she would marry me if I beat her!"

"Not again…" Joey and Mai said at the same time.

"Now if you would just move aside Mr. Wheeler…"

"No way! I'll duel for Mai!"

"Huh?" Mai said quietly as she looked up at Joey, her emotions rising. She wanted to say something but the memory of her last duel was too painful to overcome. "No Joey, I can handle it…" Mai began to say.

"No way Mai, I'm not gonna let ya face dis creep again so I'll save ya t"he trouble." Joey's eyes showed that he would not be persuaded. Turning back to Jean, If you win, you can marry Mai but if I win, you and your crummy ninjas will leave Mai alone for good."

"Ah, a battle for a woman's heart, I accept!" Jean said without a moment's hesitation.

Joey, completely embarrassed, spoke out, "I didn't mean it like that!" The two men didn't notice it, but Mai's face dropped a little.

"Deny it all you want but Mai will still be mine!" With that, Jean activated his duel disk as did Joey. The holographic projectors launched and both slipped in their decks. (Joey:4000 Jean:4000)

"Hey, don't I have a say in this?" Mai asked, insulted by the situation.

"Sorry Mai, this is something I have to do. I'll make sure this creep will never bother you again," Joey said with a thumbs up. "Besides, I wanna put this guy in his place!"

Mai couldn't believe it, last time they met, Joey lost his soul because of her and here he was today, fending off a creep trying to marry her. She wondered if he felt the same as she felt for him.

"Alright, my turn," Joey said, drawing a card. He put it into his hand and then slipped in 2 cards into his duel disk. The images of the cards appeared in front of him and Joey smiled. "I play these 2 cards face down. And I summon Hayabusa Knight (1000/700) in defense mode!" A bird like knight appeared on the field and Joey smiled.

"That all? I expected more from my rival dueling for Mai's heart!" Magnum said as he drew in a flourish.

"I told you! It's not like that!" Joey said, embarrassed that Magnum thought he cared about Mai like that…not that he didn't. Mai looked hurt this time around.

"I'll summon Genjutsu Master Ninja (1000/1000) in attack mode. This little ninja allows me to take one magic card from my deck!" A ninja dressed in white appeared, gracefully handling the kunai in his hands. Jean searched through his deck, took out one of them, and then shuffled his deck. "I'll now play Summoning Scroll! When I play this, I can summon one ninja monster with an attack under 1000, to the field! Meaning my Ninja Commander Akousa (700/700)." Genjutsu Master Ninja pulled out a scroll, opened it up, laid it on the floor, performed several symbols, pressed his thumb against the scroll and then in a flash, another ninja appeared, although this one was much shorter than it's comrade.

"I remember that ninja, it allows you to…

"Summon my Ninja Soldier Katana (400/400)!" Jean finished. Yet again, another ninja appeared.

"Joey…" Mai whispered worriedly. Mai knew Jean's strategy was to summon as many monsters as possible and he already succeeded by summoning three ninjas in one turn. She hoped that Joey won't be beaten by it. If he does, then she'll never have a chance again to tell him how she…

"My Genjutsu Master ninja, destroy his Haybusa Knight!" Jean ordered.

"Yeah, well I activate my Silver Dollar Trap card!" Joey said as he activated his trap. Suddenly, a kunai hit the card and the trap disappeared. "Wuh?"

"I guess you don't know of my Genjutsu Master's ability, when it attacks, if you activate a trap, my ninja can destroy it!"

"Aw man," Joey said as Genjutsu Master Ninja began its attack. The ninja multiplied into six copies and encircle Haybusa Knight, confusing it before one of them dealt a hard kick to Joey's Knight's stomach, destroying it.

"Now Ninja Commander, attack!" The ninja threw several shuriken at Joey and Mai almost screamed, even though they were only holograms. Suddenly, Jean's Ninja Soldier took the blow, the shuriken digging into it before it was finally destroyed. "What happened to my ninjas?" (Joey:4000 Jean:3700)

"My Magic Arm Shield, that's what!" Joey said as he pointed out his activated trap card. "Since your Genjutsu Master's affect only works when it attacks, I could activate my trap!"

Mai smiled. Joey's dueling skills was one of the things she loved about him…love about him…Mai could only smile.

"Your only delaying the inevitable, I will have Mai!" Jean said as he placed a card face down. "Your move."

Joey drew and smiled at the card in his hand. "I summon Blue Flame Swordsman (1800/1600) in attack mode!" A blue armored swordsman with a large blue sword appeared and Joey smirked confidently. "Alright Blue Flame Swordsman! Attack Genjutsu Master Ninja with Flaming Battle Sword!" Blue Flame Swordsman's sword lit up with a blue flame and the warrior charged at Genjutsu Master.

Mai smiled, Joey was going to be pulled up to an even bigger lead..

"I activate my Ninja Smoke Ball!" Jean said as his trap revealed himself. Genjutsu Master Ninja pulled out a black ball and threw it on the ground, which let out a smokescreen. Blue Flame Swordsman charged into it and several clashes of metal was heard. When the smoke cleared, Joey saw that his Swordsman was locked in a parry with Genjutsu Master. "Looks like your Swordsman attacked failed. At this pathetic rate, I'll win the duel!"

"Check the score board genius, I'm ahead!" Joey pointed out as his Swordsman returned.

"Careful Joey, he's tricky!" Mai warned. Joey looked at her and smiled reassuringly. Mai felt pain and looked away. Joey looked at her in wonder before he turned back to the duel.

"Okay ninja boy, I'll play two cards face down and end my turn. Now go!"

"Don't be so impatient, in a few more turns, I'll win the duel and Mai's heart!" Jean said as he drew.

"I don't even like you! What in the world makes you think I'll ever go for you?" Mai asked.

"That's just cold feet my dear, soon enough, you'll be living in the lap of luxury. I know you like that."

"You're wrong, there's something else I want, not luxury, not money just…" Mai broke off from there, unwilling to delve anymore of her secrets.

"Mai…" Joey said as he looked at the broken down Mai. The whole Orichalcos incident really got to her.

Wishing to finish the duel, Jean quickly pulled out three cards from his hand. "Enough, I'll play three cards face down, and I'll sacrifice my two ninja's to summon an even stronger one!"

"WHA? Oh no!" Joey said in horror as he looked at the disappearing monsters.

"I now summon, Offense Ninja (2200/1000) in attack mode!" A ninja in a red and elaborate outfit appeared, looking quite menacing. "Okay my ninja, attack his Blue Flame Swordsman!" Offense Ninja took out several kunai and threw it directly at Joey's Swordsman.

"Hold it! I play A Hero Emerges! Joey's trap revealed itself and Jean looked confused.

"What does it do?"

"If you really have to know, you have to pick one card in my hand. If it's a monster, I can summon it but if it's not, I send it to the graveyard."

"I heard rumors that you were quite the gambler Joey but you shouldn't make such a stupid mistake around me!"

"Just pick Ninja boy!" Joey said as he held out his hand. Jean looked at Joey's hand. Mai, being behind Joey, could see his hand and saw that he was at an advantage; there was one magic card and everything else were monster cards, high level ones at that. She just hoped that Jean won't pick the magic card.

"I pick…the card all the way to your right!"

"That one eh? Well you picked wrong! I summon Fiend Megacyber (2200/1200) in attack mode!" A man in odd yellow armor appeared beside Blue Flame Swordsman.

"That's it? Well my ninja will still destroy your swordsman!" Offense Ninja moved in for the kill.

"My Blue Flame Swordsman may be going, but not without a going away present! I'll activate his ability to transfer his attack points to my Fiend Megacyber! So, I'll transfer all of his attack points to my other monster, making his attack 0!"

"You idiot, then you'll just lose 2200 life points!"

"Not really," Joey said with a smile as he activated his second trap, "I play Avoidable Damage!"

"I don't believe it, Joey was prepared for everything," Mai said in amazement.

"This card prevents all battle damage from being done this turn! So, even though I lost my Blue Flame Swordsman, I don't lose any life points and I get to summon my Flame Swordsman because of my other Swordsman's effect!" Offense Ninja destroyed Joey's Swordsman but in his place came Flame Swordsman, dressed in a red version of his counterpart's armor.

"This can't be happening!" Jean said, faking his despair. (a benefit from acting) Once Joey attacked, he'd be a goner.

"Okay, I sacrifice my Flame Swordsman to summon Jinzo (2400/1500)!" Flame Swordsman disappeared and a tall creature with a mask and odd suit appeared, causing Jean to look on in horror. "Whatever traps you have, they're useless now! Jinzo, finish Offense Ninja!" Jinzo created a ball of multi-colored energy and blasted it at Offense Ninja, who disappeared in a bright explosion. (Joey:4000 Jean:3500)

"Joey…" Mai said happily.

"Alright Fiend Megacyber, attack his life points directly!" Fiend Megacyber struck a blow to Jean, knocking away the rest of his life points (Joey:4000 Jean:0)

"I lost…" Jean said sadly. "No!" I can't lose!" Jean said as he moved into a kung fu stance.

Although Joey knew of Jean's skills, he prepared to fight. "If it's a fight you want, it's a fight you get!"

"Joey wait!" Mai said worriedly.

Fifteen seconds later, Jean Claude Magnum lay on the floor, in a daze.

"Guess he really wasn't a kung fu expert," Joey said smugly as he dusted his hands and approached Mai. "Mai?"

Mai looked down, unwilling to face him.

"Mai, what's wrong?"

"Why are you talking to me?" Mai asked sadly, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"What? Whaddya saying Mai? I'm talking to ya because you're my friend."

"Friend?" Mai laughed sadly. "Joey, I betrayed you. I tried to take your soul and I did, all because I wanted power.

"Mai…don't say that! It wasn't your fault"

"Joey, you're so thick headed! I hurt you on my own terms and knowing that hurts me more than you could ever know!"

"M…Mai, its okay…I forgive you…"

"Well you shouldn't! Do you know how little sleep I've gotten? I've had nightmares night after night…all about you, how I made you suffer. Oh Joey I…"

Before Mai could say anything else, Joey pressed his lips against Mai's, taking her by surprise. Mai quickly recovered and instantly wrapped her arms around his neck, enjoying the moment.

Several seconds later, the two broke off and looked into each other's eyes.

"Joey…I don't know…what to say I mean…I want this but I'm so…" Mai said uneasily. "Do you want this? With someone like me?"

"Yeah I do and whatever problems we had before Mai, just forgetta bout' em. I love you too much to think otherwise."

Those three words…meant so much to her now. Mai was happy again and this time, nothing, not even an evil man bent on world domination, would tear them apart.

"I love you too Joey…" The two leaned into each other again.

That night, Mai stopped having nightmares.

The End.

Cheesy yeah. I don't know why I'm in the Yugioh (I do love it though) section but if any of my readers from the other sections are reading this, don't worry, my next chapters are coming soon. Sorry for the long wait.


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